


Talk by the Fire

by ShadowLink720



Category: Octopath Traveler
Genre: Gen, also there's. no plot really, anyway please. give me dad olberic, catch me screaming because i want. i want them all to help each other grow and heal, i have a bad habit of. writing stuff but then not wanting to read over it thoroughly hhfaodihf, spoilers for cyrus' chapter 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 13:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15316500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowLink720/pseuds/ShadowLink720
Summary: Everyone's sorta been on edge after Cyrus' investigations in Quarrycrest, but Olberic is mainly worrying about Tressa.





	Talk by the Fire

**Author's Note:**

> as you can see I am. great with titles. yeah.  
> also hecking uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Cyrus' chapter 2 amirite

As if Olberic hasn’t had enough time to simply be in his own head, his mind begins to wander as he stares at the dancing flames of the campfire.

He and Tressa were last in the rotation of the night watch this time, so dawn is soon approaching. However, the warrior had insisted that - should she need it - he would not mind taking the watch himself as she got more rest. At first she had (understandably) rejected the idea quite strongly, but fatigue soon caught up with her, and she began to reconsider.

Olberic mindlessly tends to the gradually shrinking fire, with Tressa drifting off against his arm.

He feels unnerved. He has been ever since they left Quarrycrest. It’s surprising everyone else can seem to sleep at all with the things they had witnessed, even if Olberic has a nasty habit of dwelling on things. Truth be told, he was merely pretending to be asleep until Ophilia had informed him that it was his turn to keep watch.

 

A low sound comes from Tressa. Her eyes are open again, albeit just a sliver.

“Trouble sleeping?” He makes a point to keep his voice low; H’aanit and Alfyn are particularly light sleepers, after all.

“Nnh.” She straightens up from her position and rubs her eyes a little. “Sorta.”

A pause hangs in the air for a few moments.

“About Quarrycrest, I take it?”

Another pause, before Tressa nods her head.

The two continue to gaze into the fire for a few moments. Olberic takes his time to form the words.

“You do not have to accompany us in the investigations in Stonegard.”

Some of Tressa’s familiar energy rears its head as she she shakes her head furiously, with brows furrowed greatly.

“I'm gonna help, and you can't stop me...!”

Olberic sighs. He hardly wants to be a part of what may be to come once they start to investigate this book of dark magic further... But the warrior knew that if some ill were to befall them, he would rather it befall him rather than Tressa.

The sight of that pulsing red glow refuses to leave his mind.

He’s seen plenty of blood in his life as a knight. But sometimes the context changes everything, it seems.

And if Cyrus’ speculation was true, about the symbols’ origin being…

 

He shakes away the thought, or at least tries to.

One thing’s for sure - it’s something Tressa should never have had to see.

“What Cyrus is investigating is dangerous.”

“I mean… yeah, it’s also disturbing… terrifying even, but… Well, I mean, Primrose is out for revenge, and H’aanit hunts huge monsters, and…”

She trails off a little, she seems to have remembered to keep her voice down.

“And even you… you’re trying to find someone who betrayed you, right?”

Olberic says nothing. At least, not for a while.

“I see your point, but…”

It’s clear it is nigh impossible to make her reconsider. Eventually, he just sighs. And a heavy sigh it is.

“Then I will protect you.”

His past experience loudly tells him that he will regret saying it with such certainty, but he is determined to prove it wrong.

Tressa makes an odd face. Her eyes catching the light of the flames. “I can handle myself…!” Her voice lowers to nary a whisper. “Geez... who are you, my dad?”

Olberic can’t help but smile, even just ever so slightly. Despite everything that they have all witnessed, she’s still so full of energy. He just hopes there will never be a day where that outlook is taken from her.

“If being a father figure is what it takes to keep you safe, then be a father figure I shall.”

It sounded strange on his tongue. It was never something he had ever thought about before. But, at the same time, that’s basically how it has been for a good while now.

The flames have been gradually dying, but the sky above them has begun to brighten, signifying the dawn of a new day.

Tressa seems newly energised by the sight alone, and promptly makes her way to wake up the others.


End file.
